Our Community Service Project is another life blood focus project that we provide and are passionate about. Within this project, we seek to serve the community at large, especially the children and their families with opportunities and assistance with needs. The 2012-2013 Chairman of this project is Rachel Bright. She may be contacted via email at jaofbatesvillems@gmail.com.
Our current Community Service projects include the following:
SPRINGFEST KIDS KORNER
At the annual Batesville Springfest in May, the Junior Auxiliary of Batesville provides a Kids Korner filled with fun crafts and activities for children in which they can participate, such as face painting, jewelry making, hoola hoops, jump rope activities, sidewalk chalk, etc.
TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK
For National Teacher Appreciation Week, members of JA deliver cookies to all the teachers
at our local schools for the work they do serving our community.
BOX TOPS FOR EDUCATION®
Our Chapter collects Box Tops for Education® from national brands. Once collected we distribute them to the
member's choice school to assist them. If you have Box Tops you collect and would like to donate, contact one of
our Community Service Chairmen today.
STUFF THE BUS
At the beginning of each school year, the Junior Auxiliary of Batesville camps outside of the Batesville Wal-Mart seeking school supply donations from shoppers for local South Panola School District classrooms. We collect donations of EVERY kind, from pencils and erasers, to nap pads and school back packs.
We continue to take donations for school supplies ALL year long. If you would like to make a supply or monetary donation for supplies, please contact us at jaofbatesvillems@gmail.com.
FIRE ESCAPE ACADEMY
As a partnership with the Batesville Fire Department, one week out of each summer, the fire department and Junior Auxiliary host a fire safety clinic for young children, teaching them the importance of fire safety knowledge, escape plans, first aid, and fire respect.
PROM CLOSET
Beginning in 2009, our Chapter held our first annual Prom Closet event where we collected hundreds of gently used prom dresses, bridesmaid dresses, tuxes, suits, as well as shoes and lovely accessories from within our chapter, other chapters, and from those within the community who wished to donate.
We in turn held our Prom Closet event at South Panola High School on a Saturday morning and afternoon, making these items available to the young men and women of South Panola and North Delta, several weeks before their big nights.
We had a wonderful turn out of donations and young people that we will continue to serve with this project again and again.
Also, many thanks to the businesses within our community that donated various accessories and services, such as hair styling and nails!
TRICK OR TRUNK
The Batesville Main Street Program held its first "Trick or Trunk" event in downtown Batesville in October 2009. Children from Batesville and area communities came dressed in their Halloween costumes and walked through a line of cars of area businesses with their trunks open - handing out candy and goodies to the children.
The Junior Auxiliary contributed by handing out bags of healthy goodies, tips on staying healthy and safe trick or treating ideas, as well as face painting for the little ones.
The first year of this event was a bigger success than anticipated. We can't wait until next year and years to come!
RELAY FOR LIFE
Info coming soon as this project develops.
BATESVILLE CAR SHOW KIDS CORNER (October 1, 2011)
Info coming soon as this project unfolds with the Batesville Main Street's plans for the Batesville Car Show of 2011!
BOOK BUDDIES
A few times a month, several JA members will visit a classroom in the South Panola school district, toting an age-appropriate book to read to the children, and to donate the book to the classroom.
The children love this special treat. Not only do they read books, but often times they will do a little craft that pertains to the book they read, or the upcoming holiday. Often times, the children prepare a special craft for an elderly resident within the community living in one of our elderly living facilities.
